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Summer Sustains The Writing Life

I have been away from here
for some time. Almost a month, but I have not been neglecting my writing and reading life. Oh
no, far from it. In fact, I have been feeding it in the same way a devoted
gardener feeds and nurtures a plot of vegetables or a stand of roses. I have
been immersed in my writer’s notebook as my summer days allow. For me, it is a time of increased recreational
reading. The input. Books of my
choosing, that waited patiently for me to pull them down from the shelves of my
study and joyfully open. I dive into these books with a zeal borne of
impatience. There is never enough time to indulge, but I try. Books, newspapers,
e-reading, fuels my reading life and gently chips away at my ignorance. -Nourishment
for the mind, the heart, the soul. I roll around in this sea of words, savoring
them. I delight in the craft of fellow writers and their sublime word usage. I
celebrate individual words and phrase, wishing I had written them myself. I
ponder over viewpoints and observations. I have collected memorable words from my reading
experiences and placed them in my notebook.

I have enjoyed the extra
time these summer days afford me to spend time in the collection zone of my
latest notebook. I am aware of how fortunate I am to have these special days. The pages are filling rapidly.

My current notebook was
chosen with deliberate intent. Inspired by renowned author and illustrator,
Shaun Tan, it has been primarily designed as a sketchbook, having no lines.
However, I deliberately chose this notebook for that very reason. I wanted to
show young writers, particularly those of primary school age, that it is
possible to write in a notebook, that has no lines. I wanted to prove that the
words wouldn’t fall off the page; that it was possible to create text in a
blank space. If I chose to sketch, then I had that option as well. My sketching,
however is very rudimentary, but occasionally, I dabble in doodling.

Part of my motivation for
using a notebook with blank pages arose from visiting classrooms where students
were using writer’s notebooks that were A4 sketchbooks. Each time they were
called upon to write, they commenced to rule lines across each page before a
single word emerged on the page. This had the effect of slowing down the
composition of the text and the drawn lines tended to create an artificial word
limit on the writing. For me it was a sad reflection on the process of choice
and revealed a lack of self confidence on the part of the young writers
concerned. I find myself working to dispel some myths about where we can write.
We model in so many ways. Each time I start a new notebook, I like it to be a
little different in shape and form to my previous one. It adds a dash of daring
to my life. I am predictable in so many ways, so I am told, but in this part of
my life, variety is a compelling force.

I’ll leave you with these
thoughts, as I need to go write in another place. You understand, I’m sure. For
those of you currently enjoying a break, I hope you are feeding your notebooks
on at least a semi regular basis. The new school year looms on the horizon. The
preparation continues…

Comments

Reading this brings a smile to my face, Alan! Beautifully written, it takes me to a place of longing. Longing to be the kind of writer you are and for more of those days where I can cultivate my writing garden. Sigh...

I WAS writing in another place (as you say) - my phone - but it froze on me and only caused frustration. I realised that so much of my writing is electronic these days. Short tweets and responses to emails and blogs mostly. I still long for days to spend with a notebook under a tree or watching people from a cafe with a strong cappuccino!

Lisa, as always your response and opinion are highly valued. I thank you for your supportive feedback. May the inspiration take you to that special writing place. I like the analogy of cultivating a writing garden. It's all about growing sustaining out writing just as the gardener does.

..a dash of daring... I like how you approach your notebooks. The page you shared is beautiful. As is the language to share your thoughts. I especially like the end of the first paragraph when you speak about reading as inspiration. I hope that you will find lot of inspiration to feed your notebook.

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Another school year is on the horizon in Australia...To assist teachers launching writing in their classrooms in the early days of the new school year, I offer the following support. Hope you find these ideas helpful in commencing your writing program in 2018.

My sincere hope for this year, is for student writers to encounter teachers who are focused on how to write, rather than what to write. In order for this to occur, teachers of writing must be prepared to commit to being writers too. Writing alongside your students sends a vital message regarding the importance of being someone who chooses to write, and sees value in such acts. it will immediately elevate writing in the minds of impressionable, curious learners. I urge you to be bold and brave. Become the risk taker you want your students to be.

I can say this with full confidence; every teacher possesses the potential to be the most influential writing mentor students will encounter in any school year.

To prepare for the writing that will emerge during the year we need to teach young writers how to find great ideas for writing lying deep inside themselves, before writing about them with focus. We need young writers to think deeply about what they are writing down. We want them to write about the things that matter most to them, -those things closest to the heart.

Encourage young writers to REREAD their initial work efforts to see if they can add more information for their reading audience.

Possible Teaching Points Upon Which to Focus:

•Writers make lists of important memories, people, places which could become story topics.

•Writers often sketch important memories, people, places which could spark an idea for a writing piece. They collect artifacts and ephemera to further stimulate their thinking.

•Writers get ideas for writing from reading lots of books. Books similar in genre/mode to what they are wishing to write.

Writing What You ReadI am acutely aware what I read influences what I write. With that thought at the front of my thoughts today, I find myself reflecting on my summer reading.

It just so happens that during the summer I was fortunate enough to receive two poetry books as gifts and managed to find three more, I purchased myself. All in all it was a rather eclectic collection of poems, to say the least. That fact just added to the appeal.

A Name Means Everything From my study I often hear one of our neighbours calling her dogs in the forlorn hope that they will obey her commands.

Ava and Theo, her two strong willed Pugs regularly pay her no mind. They are her untamed babies, wild and willful. Despite her numerous pleas for compliance they continue to wander and scamper off in directions of their own choosing. ‘Theo, come back now!’ ‘Ava, Ava, no!’ ‘Ava, Theo, come here, right now!’ Those defiant little dogs feign deafness and snuffle away, only returning when good and ready. The pugly truth is they are quite naughty.

I chuckle each time I hear the plaintive cries. Those dogs have the coolest names though. Theo and Ava. With names like that I feel they should be a geriatric couple defying the dimming of their days with age inappropriate behaviour, rather than two tiny Pug dogs. I wonder where those doggy names originated? I’m sure there’s a story there...

Returning ToSpine Poetry Because it is Friday. Poetry is in order. Poetry is always in order, but particularly as the working week ends. I welcome it like wine on the weekend.

To try this poetry idea I grabbed a plentiful supply of books. I went to my personal library, scanned the shelves for suitable titles before arranging them in an order I felt provided some cohesive flow of ideas. This provides some spine splendid viewing fun. It's word play. Spine time. Something all writers need to indulge in, from time to time.

When I was satisfied with the order, I photographed my creations.

Always an easy, fun way to engage young poets, and more experienced poets too, in creating words of wonder and delight.

The top one is brand new. Inspired by some poetry titles in my collection. It has just emerged from the Poet's oven. The other two are earlier creations, re-presented for your viewing/reading pleasure.

People who write get to live life twice - in the moment and in retrospect. That's what sets writers and poets apart. I rarely go anywhere, or do anything without the shadow of my writing self being part of the adventure. Every experience provides opportunities to harvest writing ideas. It is a lens through which to view the limitless possibilities of the moment. I look forward to your responses, feedback and ideas.